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Dogged by Bad Luck
August 25It was raining in torrents when we got information that about 2000 infantry and cavalry had left the British camp this morning and were heading for Najafgarh under the command of Brigadier General John Nicholson.
He advanced from a side road which brought him on the right of the “rebel” forces. Fording the drainage cut, Nicholson decided to attack the serai, drive out the “mutineers” and then charging to the left sweep down and get possession of the bridge. But all this we came to know much later.
Our troops had actually not been expecting the enemy to attack in this heavy rain, so, we failed to notice the advancing British forces, till they began shooting at us from close quarters. Also, Nicholson was able to surprise the forces of Neemuch Brigade (under Abdul Samad Khan) by attacking from behind.
The action which commenced at 5 pm was over in about three hours. Indians lost 800 men, thirteen field pieces and a large quantity of ammunition. Along with it, all the camp equipments, stores, camels and horses fell into British hands.
On the other hand, Bakht Khan who was not too far from the field of action, instead of making any effort to salvage the situation returned to Delhi. It is indeed unfortunate that we were not able to take advantage of our strong position.
The King was furious on hearing the news of the debacle and reprimanded Bakht Khan for not providing succor to his brothers in arm.
However, the damage had already been done. The news of the defeat of Indian forces was received with dismay by the people of Delhi and they realized that the end was not far.
Nicholson was a monster.He advocated the most horrific torture and painful execution for Indians who he hated.He once had a child beaten to death. It is a shame that there are monuments in his memory on the subcontinent.His grave is maintained in Delhi.
The fact that Nicholson beat a child to death is something that I am hearing for the first time. I would like to learn more about it as also the relevant source material.. Incidentally there are no memorials to Nicholson in Delhi or elsewhere in India. Only his grave is to be found outside the Kashmiri Gate in Delhi.He was a “monster” to his foes but to his countrymen he was a “hero” and is still an iconic figure in Northern ireland.His statue outside Kashmiri Gate was bought by some antiquarian in early fifties and is now perhaps in Canada.Basically, all soldiers are killers in uniform. However, the fact remains that his conspicuous valour “saved” Delhi for the British..It is perhaps not the policy of the Indian Government to desecrate Christian graves. This , however, is an area where vandals operate with impunity— tombstone are dug up and are used as marble tops for dining tables.
Dalrymple’s book mentions the beating of the child to death.I’ve seen the event mentioned elsewhere.There are memorials to Nicholson in Pakistan.I wonder if the British permit memorials with glowing eulogies for Luftwaffe pilots downed in England.The British and the Yanks and the
Israelis are excellent at demonising leading third reich figures despite their own much worse record.Lets call a war criminal a war criminal.Ulster protestants are probably not all that popular in the rest of Ireland.
What you mention is quite different from what Dalrymple has written in his book..I am a bit disappointed.
Peter.
please cite Dalrymple and where the event was mentioned elsewhere.
I will get get back on this as soon as possible,though I don’t have too much spare time.The boy was a cook’s assistant who crossed Nicholson’s path.Nicholson had him beaten repeatedly and the boy died of his injuries.Dalrymple describes Nicholson as an Imperial psychopath and quotes a letter from Nicholson where he advocates extreme torture for the “mutineers” and his
hatred for Indians.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article626221.ece
This is a link to Times Online.See the last couple of paragraphs.
Dalrymple’s book is reviewed on 12th May 2007. The review can be found on Times Online.
The reviewer states that Bahadhur Shah died and was buried in an unmarked grave in 1857. This is wrong.
On page 307 of my hardcover edition of “The Last Mughal”
Quoting Lt Edward Ommaney:
“For instance he thrashed a cook boy,for getting in his way in the line of march(he has a regular man,very muscular,to perform this duty).The boy complained,he was brought up again,and died from the effects of the second thrashing”.
Gautam,its my turn to be disappointed.
Feringhi
On what authority do you say the grave was marked ?If it was how could it be that Zafar’s body
was accidentally discovered in 1991,some distance from the spot which was believed to be the
burial site ?
It is a matter of shame that the government of “independant” India has decided not to have Zafar’s body returned.
Peter.
Read the review again. The review states that Zafar died in Delhi in 1857 and was buried in an unmarked grave there. My understanding was that Zafar was exiled to Rangoon and died there 1862.
The victim of this atrocity has changed from ”a child” to ”a boy”. As recently as my last visit to India in 2007, young unmarried men from their teenage years and leading up to their marriage are refered to as ”boys”.
Neill, on his arrival in Benares was reported to have hanged ‘’some boys, who, perhaps in mere sport, had flauted rebel colours and gone about beating tom-toms”.
Ok.Zafar was indeed buried in an unmarked grave in Rangoon.
I am not prepared to revise my opinion of Nicholson merely because of some uncertainty as to the age of the undoubtedly young person he had beaten so savagely that he died,and for no real offence.The term “boy” is also used to describe a male newborn everywhere on this planet.
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